Statement of the Presidium of Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar People on Another Act of Vandalism in Muslim Cemetery in Saraily-Qiyat (Mirnoe) Settlement, Simferopol Region

23 March 2012

Just another act of vandalism has been committed in Crimea – at night on March 20, 2012 the graves in the Muslim cemetery in Saraily-Qiyat (Mirnoe) Settlement, Simferopol Region were destroyed and desecrated by the unestablished persons.

The results of the vandalism were complete destruction of Gulsum Memet grave, born 1920, broken gravestone of Seitkhalil Amet-ogly and the signs of damage on two other graves. In addition more two graves were destroyed, hit by the car.

Already on March 21, 2012 the Simferopol regional department of the Main Board of the Ministry of the Internal Affairs of Ukraine in Crimea declared that the Militia found the suspect of committing this massacre who was taken to Militia and questioned.

According to the official website of the Main Board of the Ministry of the Internal Affairs of Ukraine in Crimea the suspect (resident of Mirnoe settlement, born 1979) explained that “on March 20, 2012 he went to the cemetery in order to visit the grave of his relative. When he drove to the territory of the cemetery that had no asphaltic surface his car swerved aside and in the result few graves were damaged. After that the car slipped and swerved aside again and hit the gravestone that broke to pieces.”

When he understood that he couldn’t cope with the situation by himself the citizen asked the driver of the “Jeep” who was passing by to help him and who drew out the suspect’s car that stuck in the mud.

The man admitted his guilt fully and explained the Militia officers that there wasn’t any malicious intent in his actions. The damage of the graves was the consequences of his blundering actions”.

It is very revolting that the Militia seriously tries to convince the public that the suspect’s explanation was the truth.

At this the investigation completely ignored the evident traces of the attempts to destroy other gravestones. These traces had nothing to do with the car.

The Presidium of Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people, underscoring that the acts of vandalism, committed in Crimea against the Muslim cemeteries and mosques acquire the systematic nature that in its turn is explained by inaction of Militia of establishment of the persons, committed these crimes, demands from the Prosecutor’s Office of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea to ensure the full and objective investigation and establishment of the persons who committed the massacre in the Muslim cemetery in Saraily-Qiyat (Mirnoe) Settlement.

Adopted at the meeting of the Presidium of Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people

On March 23, 2012